Table of Contents

Confined Spaces >>

Concrete Construction

Injuries and illnesses common to the concrete construction industry are as follows:

  • Concrete burns from exposure to wet concrete
  • Silicosis from exposure to concrete dust during such operations as concrete cutting, drilling, grinding, or sandblasting
  • Broken bones, lacerations, and crushing injuries caused by falls from elevated work surfaces; impalement by rebar or other objects; and impact from falling objects, form and shoring failure, and structural failure of components of the project

April 2007 Update

Erection and Construction

Section 1720, Placement of Concrete: New requirements for truck-mounted concrete boom pumps, trailer mounted concrete pumps and separate concrete placing booms. Concrete pumping equipment and placing booms shall be set-up and operated in accordance with the manufacturer's operation and safety manuals, and the Title 8 Safety Orders. The manufacturer's operation manual shall be maintained in legible condition and shall be available to the operator during set-up and operation of the equipment. Controls shall have their function clearly marked. Controls shall be safeguarded against unintentional operation. Each machine shall be equipped with an emergency stop system. Operation of concrete placing booms in proximity of overhead high-voltage lines shall be in accordance with Article 37 of the High-Voltage Electrical Safety Orders. A qualified operator must conduct an inspection of the machine's controls and functional mechanisms for maladjustment, damage or deterioration prior to daily use. Inspection must be documented.

http://www.dir.ca.gov/Title8/1720.html

Because the hazards associated with concrete construction are great, employees must use appropriate personal protective equipment and conform to safe work practices at all times (see below).

A. Forms/falsework and vertical shoring (see page 90). 1717

B. Masonry construction. 1722

  1. All masonry walls more than 8 ft. high must be braced to prevent overturning and collapse unless the wall is adequately supported through its design or construction method. The bracing shall remain in place until permanent supporting elements of the structure are in place. 1722(b)
  2. A limited access zone (LAZ) shall be established whenever a masonry wall is being constructed and must conform
    to the following:
    1. The LAZ shall be established before the start of construction. 1722(a)(1)
    2. The LAZ shall be established on the unscaffolded side. 1722(a)(2)
    3. The width of the LAZ shall be equal to the height of the wall to be constructed plus 4 ft. and shall run the entire length of the wall. 1722(a)(3)
    4. The LAZ shall be entered only by employees actively engaged in constructing the wall. No other employee shall be permitted entry. 1722(a)(4)
    5. The LAZ shall remain in place until the wall is adequately supported to prevent collapse unless the height of the wall is more than 8 ft., in which case the LAZ shall remain in place until the requirements of 1722(b) have been met. 1722(a)(5)

C. Precast, prefabricated concrete construction, tilt-up, panels. 1715

  1. An erection plan, addenda, and procedure shall be prepared by or under the direction of an engineer (Ca PE).
  2. The erection plan, addenda, and procedure shall be available at the job site.
  3. Job site inspections shall be made by the responsible engineer (or representative) during the course of erection.
  4. Proposed field modifications shall be approved by the responsible engineer.

D. Rebar and other impalement hazards. 1712

  1. Employees working at grade or at the same surface level as exposed protruding rebar or similar projections shall be protected against impalement by guarding exposed ends that extend up to 6 feet above grade or other work surface, with approved protective covers or troughs (see illustrations 1 and 2). 1712(c)
  2. Employees who work above grade or above any surface and who are exposed to protruding rebar or similar
    projections shall be protected from impalement by:
    1. The use of guardrails, or
    2. Approved fall protection systems, or
    3. Approved troughs and covers per. 344.90, 1712(c)

3. Job-built wood protective covers and troughs shall be built of at least “standard- grade” Douglas Fir .

4. Manufactured protective covers shall be approved by Cal/OSHA, per 344.90

5. Personal fall protection must be used while employees place or tie rebar in walls, columns, piers, and other structures more than 6 ft. high. 1712(e)

Exception: Personal fall protection is not required during point-to-point horizontal or vertical travel on rebar up to 24 feet above the surface below if there are no impailment hazards.

6. Guying and supporting of all rebar for walls, piers, columns, and similar vertical structures are required.

7. Wire mesh rolls shall be secured to prevent dangerous recoiling action. 1712

Illustration 1 and 2

Mushroomed Cap

E. Concrete finishing

  1. Powered finishing tools must be equipped with a dead-man-type control.
  2. Bull float handles must be constructed of a nonconductive material if they could come into contact with energized electrical conductors